Can cover and fastening means therefor



June 7, 93s. H. P. TURNER 2, 0, 4

CAN COVER AND FASTENING MEANS THEREFOR Filed may is, 1935 f/M/nifo-r:flengf Raw/gar Q I 44 CW Patented June 7, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CAN COVERAND FASTENING MEANS THEREFOR Henry P. Turner, Chicago, Ill.; DroversTrust & Sav. Bank executor of said Henry P. Turner,-

deceased Application May 16, 1935, Serial No. 21,817

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to covers and fastening means therefor andparticularly to a can cover which is entirely removable from the canalthough not necessarily so, and to a fastening means which holds thecan cover in place firmly in order to efficiently seal the contents ofthe can when the cover is in place. This invention is particularlydesigned for use in the home canning of food stuffs and the like andcontemplates the use of an open-mouthed can to which my invention isapplied. The cover and fastening means therefor are quickly and easilyapplied to cans in which food has previously been canned in a factoryand which 15. has been opened by one of the numerous modern can openerswhich open such a can and leave a smooth rim portion on the inside rimof the can. Such can openers usually turn down the peripheral portion ofthe cover which remains press the same against the inner wall of the canthus permitting the can to be filled again with food stuffs and sealed.

One object of this invention is to provide a simple can cover fasteningmeans which may be quickly and efiiciently applied to a cover havingcertain features which cooperate with the fastening means to lock thecover in place on a can.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple two partfastening means of the character described which may be made in sizes tofit standard sized cans.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cover and fasteningmeans therefor which will enable one to fill the can with the productwhich is to be preserved, then after sealing the can by means of thecover and fastening means, permit the escape of steam during the cookingof the contents thereof and later effectively prevent the entrance ofair into the can when the cooking has ceased and the steam has condensedto create a vacuum in the can.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple fastening meanshaving portions engaging standard portions on the can which, with thefastening means, create the pressure necessary to firmly hold the coverin place. In carrying out this part of the invention the fastening meanspreferably engages the outwardly and downwardly turned outer rim portionof the can at the upper edge thereof as will be described more fullyhereinafter.

Another object of this invention is to provide 55 a sealing means of thecharacter described which after cutting out the central portion thereofand Another object of this invention is in the pro- 10 vision of a novelform of gasket which may be utilized over and over again in a mannerwhich will be more fully explained later.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fastening means forholding a cover remov- 15 ably on a can and be so constructed as topermit other cans to be stacked thereon.

Other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter as thedescription thereof proceeds, the novel features, arrangements andcombina- 20 tions being clearly set forth in the specification and theclaims thereunto appended.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the fastening means shown in Figs. 1 and 2and looking at the same from the left as viewed in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 5 shows a modification of my invention in cross-section.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a can of the usual type used for canningvegetables and the like which are canned at the factory and sold in thestores to the consumer. Such cans have a peripheral cylindrical wall ID.to which a bottom H is secured with an over-lap seam I2 40 such as shownin Fig. 2. The top of the can is similarly secured by an over-lap seam13 to the upper peripheral edge of the wall ID of the can. When thecentral portion of the can cover is cut out bya can opener by certaintypes of can openers now on the market, the remaining peripheral portionI4 of the top inside the wall of the can is turned downwardly againstthe inside of the wall ID as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, thusleaving a smooth inner surface which will not injure one using the canand which will permit the ready insertion of a cover which may closelyfit within this turned down peripheral portion M. The over-lap seamforms a bead around'the' outer surface of the can at I9 which has alaterally extending horizontal portion 20 with a peripheral flange 2Ithereon extending downwardly as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. Thevertical wall I9, laterallyextending portion 20 and the downwardlyextending flange 2| form a downwardly facing annular recess in which isarranged a ring-like gasket 22 of rubber or the like. This gasket ispreferably square in cross section so that after the same has been usedit may be twisted throughout its length to present different surfaces ina vertical and horizontal-direction. In Fig. 2 this gasket is showncompressed in a vertical direction due to the clamping pressure on thecover, but when not compressed the gasket would be square incross-section. It will be noted that the-underside of the gasket maybecome deformed after continued contact with the rim of the can which ismuch sharper than illustrated in the drawing, thus making this surfaceunsuited for sealing purposes. However, the other three surfaces on. thegasket still will be in good condition and if these are presented to theupper edge of the can by twist-. ing the gasket to present thesesurfaces they will effect a good seal and the gasket can be used longerthan wouldotherwise be possible. Of course, the gasket can be shapedotherwise than illustrated and described, and the recess formed in theouter peripheral edge of the cover to receive the gasket would then beshaped more or less to conform with the shape of the gasket being used.It will be noted that there is a slight clearance between the verticalwall I9 on the can cover and the downwardly turned peripheral portion I4of the original cover, for the can. This permits steam to escape fromthe can when the same is generated ,in the can during the cookingprocess, the cover acting as a safety valve.

I will now proceed to describe the fastening .means which, in the formof the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, comprises a flat metalmember 23 and an arm 24 which are pivoted to each other at 25 by a rivetor the like to permit angular movement relative to each other. Themember 23 is provided at itsouter extremi ties with downwardly extendingportions 23 terminating in inwardly extending flanges or claws 21, theextreme inner ends of which are curved preferably to the same curvatureas the outer portion of the can to which the cover and fastening deviceis to be applied. Satisfactory results can be obtained by-having theinner ends of these claws perfectly straight but it is pre is at aslight angle to the tangent of the can when the member and arm are intheir full line positions shown in Fig. 1 and for a purpose to bedescribed presently. Again it is not necessary,

that this edge be shaped as a cam but may be made to extend in thedirection of the tangent or be curved, and still give satisfactoryresults.

The fastening means is applied in the following manner. The inwardlyextending flanges or claws 21 are placed under the abutment shoulder I5and against the outside wall I3 so as to prevent upward movement of themember 23,

the arm 24 being in the dotted line position.

shown inLFig. 1 while this is being done; Downward pressure is thenplacedvon the upper side of the arm 24 While one hand holds the bar 23in place and while this pressure isexerted on the arm 24 the same ismoved in a counterclockwise direction into the full line position shownin Fig. 1. The cam edge 3| is moved in a manner to engage the side ofthe can wall III, below the abutment shoulder I5 and tensions the arm 24in a longitudinal direction asit approaches the fullline position. Inthe full line position,fthe claw 3U is'under the abutment shoulder I5 asare the claws 21 and the result. is that upward movement of thefastening means is prevented. During the movement of the arm 24 in thecounterclockwise direction mentioned the cam contacting portion 28 onthe arm rides up along the cam portion I8 of the coveron to the centralflat portion I'I thereof, thus tending to exert a transverse verticalstress on the arm sufiicient to hold the cover in place, it beingunderstood that when the armis'in the dotted line position shown in Fig.1 that the camper-' tion 28 lies within the recess surrounding theposition I form a slot 32 in the member 23 as will be noted in Fig. 1and on the opposite sides of this slot I deform the portions of the armoppositely in a vertical direction. This deformation is shown mostclearly in Fig. 4 and in Fig. 1. The portion to the right of slot inFig. 4 and above in Fig. 1 is turned downwardly as at 33, whereas theportion on the other side of the slot is turned upwardly as at 34.

The purpose of so forming the portions of opposite sides of the slot'32,is two-fold. The downwardly extending portion 33 acts as astop whichengages the side of the arm 24 when it reaches the full line position inFig. 1, thereby determining the operative position'thereof. The

forming of the portion 34 as described andas shown in Fig. 4 leaves arecess in the underside of the member 23 into which a detent 35 formedon the upper side of the arm 24 rides, to thereby hold the arm 24 in itsoperative position against accidental movement in a clockwise direction.This detent 35 is struck up out of the edge of the arm 24 and when thearm 24 leaves its operative position it will be noted that this detentis swung clear of the member 23 so as not to frictionally'retard theangular movement of the arm 24, whereby a free and easy movement of thebar is obtained except close to the operative position thereof. Ofcourse, this detent and stop could be formed otherwise than as shown butI have found thattheconstruction illustrated forms a very simpleconstruction which lessens the cost of manufacture of the device andefficiently performs the intended functions therefor.

It will be obvious that'a dome shaped central portion for the coveror-even a cover having a central concave portion may be suitable for usewith the fastening means shown in this application and therefore I donot wish to limit myself to the construction shown except as hereinafterset forth in the claims. Note also that in the construction shown theportions I8 act to brace the central portion l1 and prevent the downwardmovement thereof, whereby the clamping action does not materially movethe central portion of the cover in a downward direction and thus losethe effectiveness of the fastening means.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified arrangement of my invention in whichthe cover is provided with a central concave portion 36 in which thesomewhat spherical cam engaging portion 31 formed on the arm 38 restswhen the arm is in operative position, the cover having a cam portion 39similar to l8 in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. This concave portion does notneed to be very deep or very large in diameter. Even a slight concave ordepressed portion would be sumcient. With this arrangement the camengaging portion 3'! and concave portion 36 act as detent means and thismakes it unnecessary to provide separate detent means to hold the arm 38in operative position as at 34-35 in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

I do not wish to limit my invention to cans of the nature which I havedescribed as it is obvious that my device can be used with other cans orreceptacles which are provided with an abutment surface or surfaces (notnecessarily a continuous abutment) about the peripheral surface thereof,and facing in a downward direction. However, it would be morepracticable probably to form a continuous downwardly facing abutmentsurface on the exterior side thereof for use with a device such as setforth herein.

It is to be noted that the upper surfaces of the member 23 and arm 26,near the peripheral edge of the cover, are substantially in the sameplane and are preferably so made so that other cans may rest-on thesemembers in an upright positicn, thus enabling the housewife to storethem on her shelves the same as ordinary canned food purchased at astore. While not necessary, it is also possible to form the outer endsof the member 23 and arm 26 with arcuate depressions at a position insubstantially vertical alignment with the side walls of the can so thatthe lower edge of another can formed as in Fig. 2 may rest in thesegrooves to prevent lateral sliding movement of the same when placed upona can sealed as de scribed herein.

Obviously those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains maymake various changes in the arrangement and construction of the partsherein shown without departing from the scope of this invention, andtherefore I do not wish to limit myself except as is hereinafter setforth in the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A fastening device of the class described comprising a flat memberadapted to extend over the cover to be held in place, having downwardlyand inwardly extending claws to act as retaining means, and an armpivoted substantially centrally of said member, a downwardly andinwardly extending claw on the free end of said arm to form with theother downwardly and inwardly extending claws on said member, a meansfor retaining said device in place on a can, said arm having a coverengaging portion for holding said cover in place under pressure when thesaid device is in operative position on a can provided with a cover,said member having a slit in the edge thereof, which slit lies adjacentone edge of said arm when said arm is in operative relation with saidmember, said member having a portion adjacent said slit extending into aposition to engage the side of said arm to limit the pivotal movementaway from operative position while permitting pivotal movement thereofin the opposite direction.

2. A fastening device of the class described comprising a flat memberadapted to extend over the cover to be held in place, having downwardlyand inwardly extending claws to act as retaining means, an arm pivotedsubstantially centrally of said member, a downwardly and inwardlyextending claw on the free end of said arm to form with the otherdownwardly and inwardly extending claws on said member, a means forretaining said device in place on a can, said arm having a coverengaging portion for holding said cover in place under pressure when thesaid device is in operative position on a can provided with a cover,said member having a slit in the edge thereof, which slit lies adjacentone edge of said arm when said arm is in operative relation with saidmember, said member having a portion adjacent said slit extending into aposition to engage the side of said arm to limit the pivotal movementaway from operative position while permitting pivotal movement thereofin the opposite direction, said member having a portion on the otherside of said slit deformed in a direction away from said arm to providea recess, and a detent formed on said arm adapted to engage within saidrecess when said arm is in operative position to, hold said arm againstaccidental displacement from its operative position.

3. A fastening device of the class described comprising a flat memberadapted to extend over the cover to be held in place, having downwardlyand inwardly extending claws to act as retaining means, an arm pivotedsubstantially centrally of said member, a downwardly and inwardlyextending claw on the free end of said arm to form with the otherdownwardly and inwardly extending claws on said member, a means forretaining said device in place on a can, said arm having a coverengaging portion for holding said cover in place under pressure when thesaid device is in operative position on a can provided with a cover,said member having a slit in the edge thereof, which slit lies adjacentone edge of said arm when said arm is in operative relation with saidmember, said member having a portion adjacent said slit extending into aposition to engage the side of said arm to limit the pivotal movementaway from operative position while permitting pivotal movement thereofin the opposite direction, said member having a portion on the otherside of said slit deformed in a direction away from said arm to providea recess, and a detent formed on said arm adapted to engage within saidrecess when said arm is in operative position to hold said arm againstaccidental displacement from its operative position, said detent beingso arranged on said arm as to swing clear 4. A device as set forth inclaim 2 in which' the upper surfaces of, said arm and member areformedwith portions near the extremities thereof adapted-to lie insubstantially the same horizontal plane when said device is in operativeclamping position whereby another can may be supported on said arm andmember and remain in an upright position when so supported. 5. A' deviceof the class described comprising a cover holding member havingdownwardly and inwardly extendingclaws at its opposite ends, a movablearm pivoted to said member substantially centrally of its length andhaving a downwardly and then inwardly extending claw on the free endthereof, and a cover engaging means on said arm so positioned withrespect to said claws on said membervand arm as to engage a cover tocreate a pressure to hold the same in place when said device is inoperative position with said claws engaging retaining means 'on' thecan, the inner facing ends on said member being curved to substantiallythe same shape as the outer side walls of the can to which the same isto be applied, and the claw on said arm having the end thereof whichengages ,the can cam-shaped to create a tension in said arm as the armis pivoted into operative position, whereby said claws on said memberand arm are drawn firmly into engagement with the sides of the can.

t 6. A device of the class described comprising a cover holding memberhaving downwardly and inwardly extending claws at its opposite ends, a

movable arm pivoted to said member substantially centrally of its lengthand'having a downwardly and then inwardly extending claw on the free endthereof, and a cover engaging means on said arm so positioned withrespect to said claws on said member and arm as to engage a cover tocreate a pressure to hold the same in place when said device is inoperative position with said claws engaging retaining means on the can,the end of said claw on said arm which engages said'can being cam-shapedto create a tension in said arm as said arm is pivoted into operativeposition, whereby said claws are all drawn firmly into engagement withthe outside of said can. 7

7. A device of the class described comprising a cover holding memberhaving downwardly and inwardly extending claws at its opposite ends, amovable arm pivoted to said member substantially centrally of its lengthand having a downwardly and then inwardly extending claw on the free endthereof, and a cover engaging means on said arm so positioned withrespect to said claws on said member and arm as to engage a cover tocreate a pressure to hold the same in place when said device'is inoperative position with said claws engaging retaining means on the can,the cover engaging means on said arm having a detent portion adapted tocooperate with a detent portion on a cover to which said device is to beapplied for preventing lateral shifting movement of said arm when saiddevice is in operative position.

8. In a fastening device for holding a can cover in place, thecombination with a member having at its opposite ends, downwardly andinwardly extending claws for engaging abutment surfaces on a can, an armpivoted centrally of said member and extending substantiallyperpendicular thereto when in operative position, the movement of saidarm to oneside of its operative position permitting said arm and memberto be separated from said cover, said arm having at the free end thereofa downwardly and inwardly extending claw for engaging an abutmentsurface on the said cover and having a portion thereof intermediate itsends and engaging the cover for creating a clamping pressure when saidfastening means is in operative position on a can, the same member andarm being provided with limiting means for preventing movement of saidarm to one side of its operative position while permitting pivotalmovement thereof in the opposite direction.

9. In a fastening device for holding a can cover in place, thecombination with a member having at its opposite ends, downwardly andinwardly extending claws for engaging abutment surfaces on a can, an armpivoted centrally of said member and extending substantiallyperpendicular thereto when in operative position, the movement of saidarm to one side of its operative position permitting said arm and memberto be separated and member being provided with cooperating automaticallyoperating detent means for holding said arm in operativeposition'relative to said member against accidental displacementtherefrom, but permitting relative movement thereof when manual pressureis applied thereto to release the clamping means.

10. In a fastening device for holding a can cover in place, thecombination with a member having at its opposite ends, downwardly andinwardly extending claws for engaging abutment surfaces on a can, an armpivoted centrally of said member and extending substantiallyperpendicular thereto when in operative position, the movement of saidarm to one side of its operative position permitting said arm and memberto be separated from said cover, said arm having at the free end thereofa downwardly and inwardly extending claw for engaging an abutmentsurface on the said cover and having a portion thereof intermediate itsends and engaging the cover for creating a clamping pressure when saidfastening means isin operative position on a can, said arm and memberhaving cooperating means for preventing pivotal movement of said armrelative to said member in'one direction from their operative clampingposition while permitting movement thereof in the opposite direction andsaid arm and memberhaving detent means thereon to hold said member andarm in operative clamping position with each other against accidentaldisplacement from that position.

11. In a fastening device for holding a can cover in place, thecombination with a member having'at its opposite ends, downwardly'and'inwardly extending claws for engaging abutment surfaces on a can, an armpivoted centrally of said member and extending substantiallyperpendicular thereto when in operative position, the movement of saidarm to one side of its operative position permitting said arm and memberto be separated from said cover, said arm having at the free end thereofa downwardly and ment surface on the said cover and having a portionthereof intermediate its ends and engaging the cover for creating aclamping pressure when said fastening means is in operative position ona can, said arm and member being provided with cooperating detent meansfor holding said arm in operative position relative to said memberagainst accidental displacement therefrom, that after a relatively smallamount of movement of said arm relative to said member in its permitteddirection of movement away from its operative position with respect tosaid memher, the same will not retard the relative pivotal movement ofsaid arm and member.

12. In a device of the class described, adapted to be used for closingthe open mouth of a can, the combination with a cover for closing themouth of said can and a fastening means comprising a pair of armspivoted to each other, one of said arms having downwardly and inwardlyextending claws at the opposite ends thereof adapted to be arrangedunder a bead on the outside of the can to prevent upward movement ofsaid arm, the other of said arms having at least one downwardly and theninwardly extending claw also adapted to engage said bead in a similarmanner, said claws being so arranged peripherally of said can as tomutually cooperate to prevent separation of said arms from said can bymovement thereof in an upward direction, one of said arms having coverengaging means thereon for exerting a pressure on the cover centrallythereof to hold said cover in place on the can, when said arms are inoperative position beneath the bead on a can, said arms being relativelymovable in a horizontal direction to permit said claws to be movedrelative to each other in such a manner as to permit removal of saidarms from their operative positions, said end of said claw on said armwhich engages said can being camshaped to create a tension in said armas said arm is pivoted into operative position, whereby said claws areall drawn firmly into engagement 20 with the outer periphery of saidcan.

HENRY P. TURNER.

